Crucible-furnace.



D. R. STEELE. 01111011311; FURNACE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1911.

1,029,090, Patented June 11, 1912.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR ltorneys will be plain from the following specificaiunrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID BEISINGER STEELE, or oUE'rIs BAY, MARYLAND, ASSIGZNOR 'ro HARRY D.

HARVEY, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CRUCIBLE-FURNACE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID R. STEELE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Curtis Bay, in the county of Anne Arundel. and State of Maryland, have invented 'certain new and useful Improvements in Crucible-Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises improvements in crucible furnaces, and it relates more particularly to the means for heating such furnaces, the details and advantages of which tion, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the furnace and heating attachment; and, Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. l, the furnace being shown in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.. I

In the drawing, the furnace comprises a hollow cylinder A and a housing a projecting laterally from the cylinder near its lower end, the walls of the cylinder and housing being composed ;of metal 1, lined with a suitable refractory material 2. The walls of the housing a form a combustion chamber 8, in the form of a passageway which communicates tangentially with the cylindrical furnace chamber 4. An opening 5 is provided in one wall of the combustion chamber and a burner b is arranged to direct the flame or burning gases issuing therefrom through said opening and crosswise or transversely of the combustion cham ber or passageway 3. The opening 5 and burner b may be arranged to direct the burning gases through any one of the side or top or bottom walls. Opening into the combustion chamber through its end wall 7 is a pipe 8 adapted to deliver a current of air into the combustion chamber or passageway 8 at right angles to the flame issuing from the burner b, so that the air thus delivered will mingle with the burning gases and di vert them from their course and carry them into the furnace chamber, where, owing to the tangential arrangement of the combustion chamber, the gases will be caused to whirl around the crucible on their way to the top of the furnace, where the products of combustion escape-through an opening in the cover in the manner common to crucible furnaces.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1912.

Application filed September 6, 1911. Serial No. 647,993.

In the drawing, the furnace is shown mounted uponftrunnions c j'ourn'aled in suitable bearings (Z. The pipe 8 is connected through a swivel joint '9, at the pivotal axis l of the furnace, to a stationary pipe 10, for

carrying air under pressure from a suitable blower to the pipe 8. The pipe 8 is also provided with a valve 11 for cutting off or admitting or regulatin'g'the volume of air delivered therethrough into the combustion chamber. A branch pipe 12, is tapped ofl from'the main pipe 8 and is connected to the burner b for the purpose of supplying air thereto. This branch pipe is provided with a valve 13 for regulating the flow of air to the burner. The valve 11, in the main air pipe, is arranged between the branch pipe 12 and the combustion chamber, and from this arrangement it will be seen that the flow of 'air through the two pipes may be independently controlled. The fuel supply for the burner, which may be either gas or a liquid hydrocarbon, is carried through a pipe 14 which is connected to a supply pipe 16 by a swivel joint 17 arranged in line with the pivotal axis of the furnace. The flow of fuel through the burner is regulated by a needle valve 18. The swivel joints 9 and 17, it will be seen, permit the pipe connections to the furnace to rock with the furnace.

In operation, the needle valve 18 is opened to admit fuel to the burner and the valve 13 in the branch air pipe is opened to admit air to atomize the fuel and promote combustion. The flame issuing from the burner, which may be regulated in force and volume by the valves just mentioned, is directed across the combustion chamber and the valve 11 in the main pipe is then opened to rovide a cross-blast of air which mingles wit the heated gases, promoting combustion and carrying the products thereof intothe furnace chamber. As the pipe 8 is of larger diameter than the branch pipe 12 a large volume of air can be admitted to the combustion chamber through the pipe 8 at a low pressure, where that is desired, or, by opening the valve 11 wider a greater pressure and volume may be obtained, as may be desired according to the character of the metal which is to be melted in the crucible.

It will be evident that as the fuel and air supplies to the burner may be regulated independently of the air supply from the cross-blast pipe 8, the volume of air and the intensity of the heat in the furnace may be vention is equally applicable tostationary.

furnaces.

WhatI claim is 1. A crucible furnace having a furnace chamber, and having a combustion chamber comprising a passageway leading into the lower part of the furnace chamber, a burner arranged to direct its burning gases into the combustion chamber transversely of the passageway, an air pipe leading to the burner, and an air pipe arranged to deliver a blast of air longitudinally of the passageway against the gases and into the furnace chamber.

2. A crucible furnace, having a cylindrical furnace chamber and having a combustion chamber comprising a passageway leading tangentially into the lower part of the furnace chamber, a burner arranged to direct its burning gases into the-combustion chamber transversely of the passageway,

- and an air pipe leading to the burner, an

air pipe arranged to deliver a blast of air longitudinally of the passageway against the gases and into the furnace chamber and means for'independently regulating the flow of air through said pipes.

23. A crucible furnace having a furnace chamber and having a combustion chamber comprising a passageway leading into the lower part of the furnace chamber, a burner arranged to direct its burning gases into the combustion chamber transversely of the passageway, a main air pipe arranged to deliver a blast of air longitudinally of the passageway against the gases and into the furnace chamber, a branch air pipe leading from said main pipe to the burner, a valve in said branch pipe, and a valve in the main pipe between the branch pipe and the combustion chamber.

4:. The combination with suitable bearings of a crucible furnace having trunnions mounted in said bearings, said'furn'ace having a furnace chamber and havinga combustion chamber comprising a passageway leading into the lower part of the furnace chamber, a burner arranged to direct its burning gases into the cumbustion chamber transversely of the passageway, a main air pipe having one end swiveled at the pivotal axis of the furnace and having its other end connected with the furnace chamber, said pipe arranged to deliver a blast of air longitudinally of the passageway against the gases and into the furnace chamber, a branch air pipe leading from the main pipe between said ends and connecta ing the main pipe with the burner, a valve in the main pipe between the branch pipe and the combustion chamber, and a fuel pipe leading to the burner.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID REISINGER STEELE.

WVitnesses:

JAMES J. ALLEN, RICHARD Kooss.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

